Weaving machine



May 10, 1966 R. sENN ETAL 3,250,298

WEAVING MACHINE Filed Feb. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'' 4 JNVENTOR.

Rudolf Senr; BY Emil Egli May 10, 1966 R. sENN ETAL 3,2501298 WEVING MACHINE Filed Feb. 10, 1984 4 shee'zs-sneet z [N VEN TOR.

Rudol f Senn 5mm Egg R. SENN ETAL WEAVING MACHINE May 10, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 10, 1964 [N VEN TOR. Rudolf Sen/7 Emil Eglz' May 10, 1966 R. sENN ETAL 3,250'293 WEAVING MACHINE Filed Feb. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 NVENTOR. Rudolf Sen" BY Emi Egli United States Patent O 3,250,298 WEAVING MACHINE Rudolf Senn and Emil Egli, Brugg, Switzerland, assignors to Georg Fischer AG., Brugg, Switzerland Filed Feb. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 343,668 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Feb. 14, 1963, 1,822/63 4 Claims. (Cl. 139-124) The present invention relates to a method of and device for tensioning and woofing weft ends in connection with a Weavingmachine of the type illustrated for instance in U.S. Patent No. 2,604,123 'having stationary weft bobbins. In contrast to custornary looms in which the inserted weft is by means of the weft bobbin in the shuttle held from the Shuttle-box under a certain tension until the reed beats up the weft, with weaving machines operating in a wellknown manner with a stationary weft bobbin, there occurs an instant at whiC-h the weft inserting member leaves the shed and releases the weft, whereupon the latter is beaten up by the reed at a non-Controlled tension. This necessarily causes weaving fiaws unless the shed is closed ahead of time. This, however, is possible only with very few articles in view of the respective weaving pattern.

There is also known an -arrangement which, at the critical moment, grasps the weft at both sides of the shed by means of so-called selvage clamping members, as a result of which the inserting member has to be forcefully withdrawn or jerkecl out of the closed shed. This is disadvantageous for various types of fabric.

For forming a clean selvage, so-called selvaging devices have become known which tuck in or woof into the shed opening the short thread end which protrudes beyond the edge of the fabric. This is done by means of one or more compressed air nozzles or .by mechanical means. These devices are, however, not able to impart upon the thread the desired tension or to hold the thread at the desired tension.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method of and device for woofing weft ends in connection with a weaving machine with stationary weft bobbins, which will overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this. invention to provide a method `and device as set forth above by means of which it will be possible to control the tension under which the thread protruding from the edges of the abric will be pulled out of one shed opening and tucked in or woofed into the next shed opening.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of the type set forth in the preceding paragraphs which includes a relatively simple actuating mechanism for the woofing means.

These and other obiects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES 1 to 4, respectively, diagrammatically illustrate different phases of the movement of the threadholding member during a weft insertion in connection with a standard weaving machine with stationary weft bobbin;

FIGURE 5 diagrammatically illustrates an embodiment of a device according to the invention in connection with a weaving machine;

3,250,298 Patented May 10, 1966 ice i 5 the woofing mechanism proper which in FIG. 3 is indicated diagrammatically only within the dot-dash lines thereof;

FIGURE 7 represents a section along the line VII-VII of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a section valong the line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 illustra'tes on a scale larger than that of FIG. 7 the lowermost portion of the arrangement of FIG. 7 as seen in the drection of the arrow 47.

The method according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that a thread-holding member takes over from an inserting member a weft end Within a shed opening, then pulls said weft end out of the shed opening while the tension of the respective weft is controllable, and finally tucks or woofs |the pulled-out weft end into the next shed opening. The device for carrying out the method according to the present invention is characterized primarily by transmission means operable in synchronism with the thread insertion, which control the movements of a thread-holding member.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and FIGS. 1 to 4 thereof in particular, these figures illustrate a Weaving machine operable in -a standard manner as illustrated and described, for instance, in U.S. Patent No. 2,604,l24 in which, however, the insertion of harpins is shown. In contradiction to this U.S. Patent No. 2,604,l24 in the FIGURES 1 to 4 of this application Serial No. 343,668 only the first phase of the insertion of a hairpin is shown. The weaving machine is provided with two weft inserting members 14 and 17. These members 14 and 17 are driven by a wheel 19, 19a respectively through the intervention of a steel band 20, 20a. FIG. 1 shows the members 14, 17 at a position shortly prior to the insertion of a weft 21 which is being withdrawn from 'a stationary weft bobbin 18 on one side of the weaving machine.

The filling is passing binding means a, 80 and an eyelet guiding means S2. A depressor 83 positions the filling in front of the weft inserting member 17 while the' end of the filling is held between clalnping members 84, 84a. Combined with the clamping members 84 as is a trap member 85 acting onto -a fixed trap member 86 shown in FIG. 3. A cutter including the blades 81 land 87 cooperates with t'he clamping members 84, 84a to cut the filling after the insertion of the harpins has been completed.

This figure also shows .a thread-holding member 11 the hook 46 of which at this instant is located in -a horizontal plane and is just about to tuck in or woof into the opening shed 13 a short thread end 22 protruding from the adjacent edge of the fabriC and pertaining to the last inserted weft.

FIG. 2 shows the next phase, and more specifically, shows the woofed short thread end 22. At this time, the thread-holding member 11 occupies its innermost position with regard to the shed. Also at this time, the said thread-holding member has turned about its own axis by 90 so that the hook 46 points vertically downwardly, and now delays its return movement until the inserting member 14 passes the weft 21 by said hook, said weft 21 being taken over from the inserting member 17 approximately in the center of the shed.

In the phase illustrated in PIG. 3, the thread-holding member 11 has already started its return movement and is just about to take over the weft 21 from the inserting member 14. The thread-holding member-11, with the aid of spring means (to be described later) imparts upon the weft a certain tension and moves out of the shed while returning hook 46 to its previous horizontal position.

FIG. 4 shows the weft 21 beaten up by a reed 16 and arrested. The thread member 11 still holds a new short thread end 23 and will tuck in or woof the same during the next movement into the shed.

Referring now to FIG. 5, this figure diagrammatically indicates a breast beam 1 and a weaving machine frame 2 both forming a part of la weaving machine (not illustrated). The breast beam 1, which is fixedly connected to the weaving machine frame 2, has adjustably mounted thereon a carriage 3 which may be arrested on beam 1 in any desired adjusted position by any standard means such as screws, or the like. Said carriage supports a base plate 4 for the woofing mechanism proper.

FIG. 5 shows a shaft 70 which represents the main shaft of the weaving machine and has keyed thereto a cam 5. Cam 5 is adapted to actuate the thread-holding member 11 by means described further below, so that in order to make possible the woofing operation, hook 46 moves along a reverse S-shaped path 12 closely by spreader means 15 (temples) toward the reed 16 and during its return stroke, takes over from the inserting member 14 the inserted weft 21. During this last-mentioned operation, the weft passes below a spring 32 into the hook 46. During the return movement of hook 46, the thread slides between spring 32 and hook 46, while the thread will be subjected to the desired tension, in conformity with the pressure exerted thereupon by spring 32. Outside the shed 13, the weft 21 is held under a certain tension by the binding means 80, 80a until it is beaten up by the reed 16, in a well-known manner.

FIGS. 6 to 9 illustrate details of the mechanism shown in FIG. 5. More specifically, with regard to FIG. 6, the mechanism comprises a driving rod 6 which, as previously mentioned, is actuated by cam 5 |and is pivotally connected by me-ans of a pivot 24 with a control cam 25, which latter has rigidly connected thereto a lever arm 7. Cam 25 is pivotally supported by a pivot 8 mounted on base plate 4. It will thus be evident that a reciprocatory movement of driving rod 6 brings about an oscillation of cam 25 about pivot 8.

The free end of lever arm 7 has a fork-shaped portion 44 in which is slidably mounted a slide 26. Slide 26 is provided with a bore 9a pivotally engaged by a stud 9 connected to a lfollower 27 (FIG. 7). The follower 27 is slid-ably arranged in a longitudinal slot 41 of a tubular guiding member 34. At both sides of the follower 27 and slidable in the tubular guiding member 34 are guiding pistons 28 and 29 respectively connected to 'a pin 30 which is rotatably journalled in follower 27.

The tubular guiding member 34 is provided with means for imparting upon the thread-holding member 11 an additional turning movement about its own axis. To this end, the guiding piston 29 has by means of a pin 45 connected thereto a twisted flat steel member 31 so that it has two blades 31a, 31b which are offset with regard to each other by approximately 90. The plate 31a slidably extends through a slot 71 of a plate 33 which latter is fixedly connected to the tubular guiding member 34 and to an 'arm 36 of a two-arm lever 35 which is pivotally supported by plate 4 by means of a pivot 38 (FIG. 6).

The free end of arm 37 is provided with a recess 37a engaged by one end 'of a spring 39 the other end of which rests on a block 40 connected to base plate 4. As will furthermore be seen from FIG. 6, the tubular member 34 is provided with an arm 42 with a fork-shaped end ro'- tatably carrying a roller 43 for engagement with a cam surface 25a and 25b. In the particular position shown in FIG. 6 roller 43 engages the cam surface 25a. The cam surfaces 25a and 25h are so selected that the reciprocatory movement of rod 6 in cooperation with the longitudinal movement of thread-holding member 11 and the oscillatory movement of lever causes the threadholder 11 to move along a reverse S-shaped path referred to above in connection with the description of FIG. 5. It will `also be appreciated that spring 39 continuously assures engagement of roller 43 with cam 25.

Two-arm lever 36 is fixedly connected to the tubular member 34 in any convenient manner. As will also be evident from FIG. 6, the lower end (with regard to FIG. 6) of the twisted member 31 is provided with a hook 46 and a leaf spring 32 and forms the thread-holding member which in FIGS. 1 to 4 and FIG. 6 has been generally designated 11.

As will be seen from FIG. 9, the hook portion 65 of hook 46 is provided with a groove 69, whereas the hook portion 46a is provided with a plurality of holes 66, 67 and 68. One of these holes is engaged by one end 32a of leaf spring 32, whereas the other end of said spring 32b rests in groove 69. Thus, by inserting the spring end 32a in different holes 66, 67 and 68 it is possible to vary the tension of spring 32. It is, of course, also possible to employ a leaf spring of other characteristic and to mount the same between said holes and said groove, thereby varying the pressure to be exerted by the threadholding member 11 on the respective weft end. In order to assure a proper sliding movement of the weft between the hook section 65 and spring 32, the end 32b of spring 32 is preferably inserted into a blind hole 64. That portion where the blade 31a merges with the hook 46 is so designed that the warps cannot be caught by the thinner hook portion 65, i.e. the hook portion is thinner than the blade 31a.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular method described above and the arrangement shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modification within the scope of the appended claims.

What we clairn is:

1. In a weaving'machine having a shed and being provided with stationary supporting means for receiving and supportinga bobbin: weft inserting means operable to withdraw wefts from 'a bobbin on 'said supporting means and to move into an opening of said shed for inserting a withdrawn weft thereinto, weft pulling means arranged on the other side of said shed and operable to move into said shed and to take over from said weft inserting means a weft inserted thereby into said shed opening and to pull the said weft through said shed so that the end portion of said weft will protrude from said shed and subsequently to release said protruding portion, thread holding means arranged on said other side of said shed and alternately movable into and out of said shed for grasping a weft end portion adjacent to said weft pulling means and between the latter 'and said one side of said shed and for holding said weft end portion clamped after it protrudes from said shed until the weft portion pertaining to said clamped portion and located within said shed has been beaten up, said thread-holding means comprising a hook with an inner surface on which the weft portion rests and a spring connected to the hook and having an end portion bearing on said surface to clamp said weft portoin thereon, means operatively connected to said thread-holding means and operable automatically and subsequently to the beating up of said last mentioned weft portion of said shed to woof the weft portion released by said pulling means into a subsequent opening of said shed, and control means drivingly connected to said thread-holding means for actuating the thread-holding means in synchronism with the movement of said pulling means, said control means being operable to impart a reciprocatory movement upon said thread-holding means While also imparting an oscillatory movement upon said thread-holding means about an axis extending in the direction of said reciprocatory movement.

2. A Weaving machine according to claim 1, in which said spring is adjust'ably connected to said hook for varying the clamping effect of the spring.

3. A weaving machine according to claim 2, in which said hook is provided With a plurality of grooves arranged therein at respectively difierent distance from said surface and each adapted selectively to receive the end of said spring opposite said end portion thereof to provide for different bearing pressures of said end portion of the spring on said surface.

4. A Weaving machine according to claim 1, in which a tubular support member is provided reciprocabiy supporting said thread-holding means, said hook comprising a twisted bar, and said support member having a slot in the end through which said hook extends for lcausing said oscillating movement or" said thread-ho1ding means in response to reciprocation thereof in said support member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS F OREIGN PATENTS 10/ 1924 France. 1/ 1961 France. 9/ 195 3 Italy. 10/ 1934 Switzerland.

16 DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examner.

J. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WEAVING MACHINE HAVING A SHED AND BEING PROVIDED WITH STATIONARY SUPPORTING MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING A BOBBIN: WEFT INSERTING MEANS OPERABLE TO WITHDRAW WAFTS FROM A BOBBIN ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS AND TO MOVE INTO AN OPENING OF SAID SHED FOR INSERTING A WITHDRAWN WEFT THEREINTO, WEFT PULLING MEANS ARRANGED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID SHED AND OPERATBLE TO MOVE INTO SAID SHED AND TO TAKE OVER FROM SAID WEFT INSERTING MEANS A WEFT INSERTED THEREBY INTO SAID SHED OPENING AND TO PULL THE SAID WEFT THROUGH SAID SHED SO THAT THE END PORTION OF SAID WEFT WILL PROTRUDE FROM SAID SHED AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO RELEASE SAID PROTRUDING PORTION, THREAD HOLDING MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID OTHER SIDE OF SAID SHED AND ALTERNATELY MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF SAID SHED FOR GRASPING A WEFT END PORTION ADJACENT TO SAID WEFT PULLING MEANS AND BETWEEN THE LATTER AND SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID SHED AND FOR HOLDING SAID WEFT END PORTION CLAMPED AFTER IT PROTRUDES FROM SAID SHED UNTIL THE WEFT PORTION PERTAINING TO SAID CLAMPED PORTION AND LOCATED WITHIN SAID SHED HAS BEEN BEATEN UP, SAID THREAD-HOLDING MEANS COMPRISING A HOOK WITH AN INNER SURFACE ON WHICH THE WEFT PORTION RESTS AND A SPRING CONNECTED TO THE HOOK AND HAVING AN END PORTION BEARING ON SAID SURFACE TO CLAMP SAID WEFT PORTION THEREON, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID THREAD-HOLDING MEANS AND OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE BEATING UP OF SAID LAST MENTIONED WEFT PORTION OF SAID SHED TO WOOF THE WEFT PORTION RELEASED BY SAID PULLING MEANS INTO A SUBSEQUENT OPENING OF SAID SHED, AND CONTROL MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID THREAD-HOLDING MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE THREAD-HOLDING MEANS IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID PULLING MEANS, SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING OPERABLE TO IMPART A RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT UPON SAID THREAD-HOLDING MEANS WHILE ALSO IMPARTING AN OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT UPON SAID THREAD-HOLDING MEANS ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT. 